Asha laughed, reaching to pull Lizzy out of the leaves. “You should set up Rohan with someone next.”
What?That was an utterly ridiculous idea. Kamila picked more leaves off Darcy’s sweater. “Why would I set Rohan up with anyone?”
“C’mon. All alone in his gilded cage? He’s clearly craving company. He should at least get a dog.”
“Rohan’s not a dog person. He had a cat, but his ex-wife took it in their divorce settlement.” Kamila clipped Darcy’s designer leash to her purple studded leather collar. “And a King Street penthouse is hardly a gilded cage. Although…” She frowned. “I haven’t actually seen his condo. Holy cheese crackers, do you think his place is actually gold? I mean…heisan uptight finance lawyerly type. Oh my god, do you think it’s all like Trump Towers–esque?”
“Hold your tongue, Kamila. You’re technically a finance type, too.”
“I’m a glorified bookkeeper in a small tax office over a coffee shop.”
“Kamila. You’re a CPA who is trying to expand her business.”
“Yes, and Rohan is one of the city’s top tax lawyers and owns one of the province’s largest financial service providers, with offices in Toronto, Ottawa, and London, Ontario. You do see the difference, right?”
Asha shrugged. “You’re both capitalist money crunchers, as far as I’m concerned. And you have an awful lot of brass fixtures in your house, so maybe you shouldn’t talk aboutgildedhomes?”
Kamila’s nose wrinkled. She didn’t much like being called a capitalistic money cruncher, but it was technically true. “So,doyou think Rohan’s place is all nouveau riche? I mean, it’s strange he’s never invited us over, right? Maybe that’s why.”
“Doubt it. Probably standard dude decorating. I’d put money on a black leather chair somewhere. Maybe a recliner. A whiskey decanter with those rocks that you freeze to chill your drink. He’s been alone for how long—three years?”
“Only two-ish years since he and Lisa separated. Divorce finalized a year this month.”
Asha’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “He’s totally ready for someone new. Who can we find for Rohan? Aren’t you still looking for someone for Maricel, too?”
Kamila’s head shook vigorously. “I just said no!” The entire thought was preposterous. “Yes, I’m looking for a man for Maricel, but I amnotsetting up Rohan. With anyone. We’ve got a happy balance in the family right now. Equilibrium. You know I’m not looking for a serious relationship for Dad’s sake, and Rohan in a relationship again would be worse, right? He’s supposed to take Dad to the doctor this week!” Kamila loved her father, but he was a bit…old-school. After Kamila and her sister noticed that he avoided the doctor when either of them offered to take him, they realized he’d prefer a male escorting him to his medical appointments. Since Kamila’s brother-in-law moved away, that job fell to Rohan.
“Yeah, I guess it’s a bit more complicated to play matchmaker with someone you’re related to.”
“We arenotrelated.” Well, not technically, at least. Rohan was Kamila’s sister’s brother-in-law, not hers. “Rohan is my…” She frowned.Frienddidn’t seem right. Tim was a friend. Maricel and Asha were friends. “He’s…myRohan. I’ve known himforever. And if he finds another relationship, he won’t help with Dad. We barely saw him when he was with Lisa. What Rohan needs is to get laid, not a girlfriend. But he doesn’t believe in casual.”
“Ah. So, it’s selfishness. It’s not Rohan’s happiness you’re thinking of here.”
“Really, Asha? How is it selfish if I’m putting Dad’s well-being first?” Kamila sighed. Rohan knew better than anyone how fragile Dad’s health was. Besides, if he actually wanted a relationship, he would date. He wouldn’t need Kamila to help him find someone.
And yeah, she’d only this morning suggested he find someone to hook up with, but a hookup wasn’t the same thing as a relationship, and Kamila’s matchmaking endeavors were only for relationships. Sex, as she’d told him, was easy to come by. Apps were perfectly sufficient. Rohan could find his own darn bedroom playmate if he wanted one. Her nose wrinkled. “I’m not getting any good pictures here. May as well let the dogs play in the off-leash.” Kamila gave Darcy a scratch behind the ear and guided her dog to the off-leash area of the park.
“Hey, there’s Dane,” Asha said, waving to a twentysomething man with a medium-sized dog as they walked into the fenced-in off-leash area. He waved back at them. Dane was the husky owner who had rented Asha’s condo when she moved into Nicole’s house. Kamila had first met him at the dog park last week. He was a bit of a tech bro and was white, with medium-brown hair and a nice smile. And more importantly, he was single. His dog, Byte, was a bit of a nightmare obedience-wise, though. What Dane needed was a dog-training girlfriend. And Kamila had the perfect candidate.
She squealed under her breath as they made their way to him. “This is amazing. Maricel’s on her way.”
Asha’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not thinking Dane and Maricel, are you?”
“Of course I am.” Kamila beamed. “They’re an ideal match. Maricel loves dogs but doesn’t have one, so she needs a boyfriend with one. And only a dog lover would put up with Byte.”
“Are you more concerned with the dog’s happiness or the humans’?”
“C’mon, Asha. Dane’s nice to look at. And Maricel is a total catch. Hey, there she is!”
Maricel had the leashes of four excited dogs in one hand, and was unlocking the gate to the off-leash area with the other. Kamila winced when she noticed who one of those dogs was.
Maricel Aquino was sweet, good-natured, and beautiful, the type one would expect to be followed by woodland creatures serenading her, not by an absolute hound of hell. But that was the best way to describe the shelter dog Maricel was currently unclipping from her leash to run free in the enclosure.
“Oh my god.” Kamila’s hand was on her mouth. “They’re lettingXenavisit the dog park?”
“Yeah, apparently her socialization has been going well, so they’ve added dog-park trips to her training. I’m skeptical.” Lizzy looked skeptical, too, and gave Asha a short bark, warning that something chaotic was about to go down.
Kamila decided to heed Lizzy’s warning. She was plucking Darcy into her arms just as Xena ran by at a speed that made Kamila wonder if there was a little greyhound in her beagle mix. At least five other dogs were chasing Xena, including Dane’s Byte, followed by their owners, while a crowd of onlooking dogs erupted into a cacophony of barking. Lizzy was watching the chaos with concern, while Darcy was, of course, doing her best to jump out of Kamila’s arms to join in the fun. Kamila handed Darcy to Asha. Maricel clearly needed help. “Xena! Heel!” Kamila yelled, running after the dogs.
